Washington Huskies: Revamped receiver group leads to cautious optimism
Herb Nightengale
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It’s been an offseason of upheaval for the Washington Huskies receivers. For UW, the NCAA Transfer Portal has been more like a revolving door.
The Washington Huskies receiver group will look very different in 2021. Transfers, both in and out, and new freshman arrivals mean there are a host of new faces to catch passes.
Out
Starting receiver Ty Jones graduated from Washington in the spring. He transferred to Fresno State, where he will be receiving catches from former Husky quarterback Jake Haener. Jordan Chin took a similar route to Sacramento State.
All things seemed stable until early March. That’s when junior Puka Nacua decided to enter the transfer portal as well. Nacua was expected to compete for a starting spot this year. Instead, Puka moved his college career to Brigham Young University.
Right before spring camp started, two more receivers decided to leave Washington as well. Juniors Marquis Spiker (undecided) and Austin Osborne (Bowling Green) played sparingly, but their loss combined with other departures put a dent in the Huskies’ depth.
In
While there were several departures, the Huskies also brought in a few new arrivals. Right before spring camp, junior Giles Jackson announced he is transferring in from Michigan. In two seasons with the Wolverines, Jackson caught 24 passes for 309 yards and a TD.
Since Jackson won’t arrive on campus until June, he couldn’t participate in spring practice. When camp opens in the summer, expect him to contend for a starting job.
Also transferring in is Ja’Lynn Polk from Texas Tech. As a freshman, Polk played in all ten Red Raiders games, including seven starts. He finished the 2020 season with 28 catches for 264 yards and two touchdowns. His consistency stands out; Polk caught at least one pass in every game.